Page 67 of Finders Keepers

He gives her a smile and then looks back up to us.

I shift my weight from one foot to the other as Ms. Lucy and Frank chat about the Spring Fling. My fingers absently trace the metal ridges of the shopping cart, trying to ground myself.

“Oh, Frank, you’ll never believe what Mary Beth’s planning for her booth this year.” Ms. Lucy’s eyes sparkle with excitement. “Bailey here has the most wonderful idea for flower crowns.”

My head snaps up. “Oh, I didn’t—I mean, Mary Beth mentioned it, but—”

Frank clasps his hands together. “That’s exactly the kind of fresh thinking we need! The Spring Fling has gotten a bit stale these past few years.”

Sophie bounces on her toes. “Can we make pink ones? And purple?”

Ms. Lucy laughs. “We can make them in every color of the rainbow.” She turns to Frank. “Mary Beth’s already ordered extra supplies. Says she’s never seen anyone take to flower arranging as quickly as Bailey has.”

Heat creeps up my neck. “I just really enjoy working with the flowers. It’s… peaceful.”

The shop has become my sanctuary these past few weeks. The gentle routine of trimming stems, arranging bouquets, learning the language of flowers, making deliveries, it helps quiet the constant whir of anxiety in my mind. And Sophie loves visiting the shop, sitting at the little table in the corner with her coloring books while I work.

Frank checks his watch. “Well, I better get moving. Council meeting in twenty minutes.” He gives Sophie another warm smile. “Looking forward to seeing those flower crowns, Miss Sophie.”

As he walks away, Ms. Lucy steers us toward the produce section. “You know, Bailey, you have a natural talent.”

I focus on selecting apples, avoiding her knowing gaze. “I’m not really… I mean, crowds aren’t…”

“I know, honey.” Her voice softens. “But just so you know this town, these people. They’re good folks.”

My hands shake slightly as I place the apples in the cart. She’s right, I know she’s right. But the thought of being visible, of drawing attention… Matt always said I was an attention-seeking whore when I tried to make friends, when I dressed nice, when I did anything that made me stand out.

Sophie tugs at my shirt. “Can we practice making crowns, Mommy?”

I look down at her eager face, see the hope there, the simple joy at the prospect of creating something beautiful together. And suddenly I can picture it. Us at the booth, surrounded by flowers and friendly faces. Her pride as she helps hand out our creations.

“You know what? That’s a great idea.” I reach for her hand. “We can use some of the dried flowers Mary Beth gave us to practice with.”

“And ribbons?” Her eyes grow wide. “The sparkly ones?”

“And ribbons.” I squeeze her hand, feeling a spark of excitement push through the anxiety. “We’ll make them extra special, just for us.”

Ms. Lucy beams at us. “Mary Beth will be over the moon. She’s already planning where to put the booth, right by the face painting station.”

As we continue shopping, Sophie talks about all the different crowns she wants to make. Pink ones with butterfly ribbons, purple ones with stars, and rainbow ones. Her enthusiasm is contagious, and I find myself adding ideas, suggesting different flower combinations.

“The dried lavender would look beautiful with fresh baby’s breath,” I muse, picking up a bunch of bananas. “And we could use those pressed daisies Mary Beth showed me the other day…”

“See?” Ms. Lucy’s eyes twinkle. “You’re a natural at this. The Spring Fling needs fresh energy like yours.”

Ican hardly believe my eyes as we pull up to Gavin’s home. When he mentioned he lived outside of town, I wasn’t expecting… this. The gravel crunches under my car tires as we make our way down the long driveway, and I find myself leaning forward in my seat to take it all in. The property seems to stretch endlessly in every direction, with mature trees dotting the landscape.

I ease my car to a stop, my mouth still hanging open at the sight before me. The barn dominium commands attention—sleek black exterior stretching two stories high, dark wood accents adding warmth against the modern design. A wrap-around porch hugs the entire structure, and I can already picture peaceful evenings spent watching the sunset.

My attention shifts as Gavin emerges from the front door, his tall frame filling the doorway before he steps onto the porch. A golden blur of excitement bounds out behind him, and they both make their way to the bottom of the steps. The dog’s tail wags with such enthusiasm that his whole body wiggles.

“Mommy, look! A puppy!” Sophie squeals from her car seat, pressing her face against the window.

“I see, baby. Let’s go say hi, but remember what Mr. Gavin taught you about meeting new animals.” I step out and make my way around to get Sophie from her seat.

“I ‘member! You gotta let them smell you first.” She nods seriously as I unbuckle her. The moment her feet touch the ground, she grabs my hand.

“That’s exactly right, Miss Sophie.” Gavin’s smile reaches his eyes as we approach. The golden retriever sits at his feet, though his tail still thumps against the ground. “Would you like to meet my friend here?”

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